Panel Changes Tack On Boat Parking

Enforcement Effort Targets Visible Vessels

COOPER CITY — James Noe, an auto mechanic, has a 6-foot privacy fence to shield his custom-made airboat from public view.

But the city insists that isn't good enough because his airboat can be seen over the top of the fence. So lately, Noe has been storing it next to the swimming pool behind his three-bedroom house.

"It's a big inconvenience," said Noe, 40. "I'm very upset about the whole issue."

For years, the city allowed owners to park their boats behind fences at their homes, even though a 1978 law mandates the vessels not be seen from the street. But in the past four months, more than 80 residents have received warnings and were given 45 days to comply.

Angry boat owners blame the crackdown on an advisory committee formed to help revise codes in hopes of making them user-friendly. Nearly 100 protesters showed up at a recent workshop.